


The Secret Life Of Kagami Tsurugi: Demon Slayer

by Snugglebuttkitten



Series: Kitty's Requests [2]
Category: DmC: Devil May Cry, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Kwamis, Archangel Marinette | Ladybug, Backstory, Best Friend Lukanette, Best Friends Adrigami, Childhood to Adulthood, Demon Gabriel | Hawkmoth, Demon Lila | Volpina, Demon Nathalie | Mayura, Double Life, Dysfunctional Family, Eventual Happy Ending, Fallen Angel Luka | Viperion, First Kiss, First Time, Full Demon Adrien | Chat Noir, Implied/Mentioned Romantic Lukanette, It Mostly Glosses over that though, Just Mentions of First Time, Kagami PoV, Kagami x Original Character (Briefly), Marriage, Marriage Proposal, No Smut, Platonic Adrigami, Platonic Lukanette, Platonic Marigami, Quarter Demon Kagami | Riposte, Romantic Adrienette, Romantic Lukagami, Romantic MariChat, Statutory Rape, The Secret Life Of Kagami Tsurugi: Demon Slayer - A Story, life story, technically
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-10-22 19:53:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17668985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snugglebuttkitten/pseuds/Snugglebuttkitten
Summary: No one outside the Tsurugi Family knows that Kagami Tsurugi is adopted, and she prefers to keep it that way. The fewer people who know she's a quarter demon, the better. Trained by her father in secret from the time she was a young child, Kagami must navigate all the hardships of growing up, all while managing a complicated double life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [UltimateMayhem](https://archiveofourown.org/users/UltimateMayhem/gifts).



> This work was requested by @ultimatemayhem. If you wish to make a request for a story, click the link at the end of the story and join my Discord Channel. All requests must be placed through Discord so that we can discuss the story in detail before I commit to writing it. Potential to write for other fandoms IF I am in that fandom, but that can be discussed in detail through PM on Discord.
> 
> @UltimateMayhem, hope this is what you were looking for? Took a bit of creative license from what you gave me (okay a LOT), but I think it turned out alright? It's also a lot longer than I intended but once I started, I couldn't stop lol I hope you don't mind that I changed quite a few things to better suit the story but I reeaaaally think you'll enjoy how it turned out.
> 
> ALSO. This story was getting crazy long-winded, especially since I am going back and adding the Dante/Nero interactions, so while the story is MOSTLY done, I decided to post it in separate parts/chapters. I am still hoping to get the entire story up by tomorrow night, but here's the first part regardless.

“Get up, Kagami,” the harsh voice of her father sounded above her, cold and unforgiving, and the six-year-old girl struggled to pushed herself to her feet. Her muscles screamed in protest and her eyes watered miserably, but failure wasn’t an option and neither was staying down.

“You’re stronger than this, Kagami. _Get_ _up_ ,” the white-haired man insisted, and finally, the dark-haired child was able to push herself to her feet. Her fingers tightened around the wooden sword and she once again lifted it between them, sliding into the fighting stance her father had drilled into her since the moment he had first appeared before her when she was five. Everything hurt. The blisters on her fingers had burst long ago, and she was sure she was sporting several new bruises, but her chocolate gaze retained its determination as it met her father’s icy blue one.

“You need to remember, Kagami. Most of the opponents you face will have much more demon blood than you do. They will be stronger, faster, and they will not hesitate to take your life. You must be prepared,” the man said sternly. Kagami gave a stiff nod. She knew her father was harsh, but it was only his fear for her that drove him to push her so hard and she respected him all the more because of it.

“I will not let you down, father,” she promised, eyes shining with determination.

“Good. Then let’s go again,” he said, lifting his own wooden sword between them, the barest hint of an approving smile curving his lips. The child nodded and without hesitation, she leaped at her father, sword at the ready.

  


\-------

  


“You’re getting better,” Vergil praised, blue eyes narrowed as he circled his daughter. The corner of Kagami’s lips quirked up into the barest hint of a smile, but even as she responded, she kept her focus on the objective at hand. At eight-years-old, and with three years of training under her belt, she knew all her father’s tricks. He was trying to lull her into a false sense of security with his praise, but it wouldn’t work. Not this time. He didn’t call her his prodigy for nothing.

“I have an excellent teacher,” she returned, feinting left before leaping out with a strike to her father’s right side. Damn, but he was fast. The black-haired girl gritted her teeth as wood clacked against wood, their practice swords meeting between them briefly before they bounced back and resumed their circling. Vergil nodded, pleased with his daughter’s progress. When he had first discovered the girl’s mother was pregnant, he had been nervous. He led such a dangerous lifestyle. But he had loved her so much, and he had wanted to make it work. Unfortunately, his fears had been realized mere days after the birth of his daughter, when her mother had been murdered before he could get to them.

Luckily, he arrived before they had laid a hand on the child but the death of her mother had made him realize that the child didn’t have a place in his life. Not if he wanted to keep her safe. So he had her adopted and raised into the Tsurugi family and that _should have_ been the end of it. He had meant to walk away and never look back. But he was weaker than he had thought and one thing had led to another. Now, he was training her in secret to follow in his footsteps as a demon slayer. He knew it was wrong, that her mother was probably turning over in her grave in anger and horror, but if this was the only way he could have a real relationship with his daughter, he would take it. After all, she was the last link he had to her mother, Mei Huang.

“You’re distracted,” Kagami suddenly said, lunging forward and sweeping a leg out in an effort to topple him. He was fortunate his reflexes were so fast and he managed to leap back deftly before she managed to fell him. The second she did, he had no doubt her practice sword would be at his throat and she would be declared the victor of this match. His grin was as wide as it was unexpected. He found loosening up and allowing genuine emotion through was easier when it was just him and his daughter. Kagami had yet to best him in a match yet, but her skill was unparalleled for her age. Perhaps it was time he introduces her to Nero, her half brother. She would do well with a sparring partner closer to her own age.

“You’re very astute,” Vergil said out loud, mentally shaking off his thoughts for now, “but you still have a lot to learn, Kagihime.” Kagami, momentarily startled out of her focus by the affectionate and rarely heard nickname, yelped as her father suddenly leaped out, using the same move she had used. Being significantly slower than her opponent, she went down hard. Immediately, she began to push herself up, but she froze when the rough wooden tip of his practice sword touched her throat. He smirked and winked at her as she let out a soft groan of defeat and flopped back down onto her back. “I win.”

  


\-------

  


“Kagami.”

Kagami froze halfway out the door and slowly turned to face her older sister, Jiao, shivering in the cold air as she did so. Well, her adopted sister. There were four of them all together, along with one brother, the precious Tsurugi heir. Most of them were older than Kagami, who is eight-and-three-quarter-years old. Only LiMing was younger, at three-years-old. Incidentally, LiMing was also the only one out of her adopted siblings that Kagami actually liked. Jiao Tsurugi was the eldest, at twenty-one, and the bossiest. She was forever reminding Kagami that she wasn’t a Tsurugi by birth, but she didn’t really care anymore. She had a real dad, her _birth_ dad, even if she couldn’t admit that to her adopted family. Father had said they wouldn’t let her see him or train with him anymore. Twisting her fingers together nervously, the young child craned her neck back to look up at her older sister as she approached, a stern look on her face and coldness in her almost black eyes that always seemed to be there whenever she was addressing the young child.

“It is almost time for dinner. Where are you going at this hour?” Jiao demanded, stopping in front of the child and crossing her arms as she frowned down at her. Kagami shifted uncomfortably, mind racing for a believable lie. What was it her father had told her about lying? That she shouldn’t add too many details, but she also shouldn’t add too few details?

“I’m going to practice my fencing… with Peijing,” she said after another moment of hesitance. Jiao’s eyes narrowed and for a second, the younger girl thought she would be found out, but after a moment her sister’s face smoothed into impassiveness and she gave a brief nod.

“Good. _Bàba_ might think you’re some sort of fencing prodigy, but I saw your last match and you need the practice,” Jiao sneered, rolling her dark eyes before turning away. “Oh, and be home for dinner. I have better things to do than tracking you down.”

Spinning on her heel, Jiao stalked away without a backward glance. Kagami glared after her, angry at Jiao for refusing to accept her as a sister and angry at herself because she was right. Her last match had been lackluster. She had been so tired from the near-nightly training with her father, she had slipped up and nearly lost what was otherwise an easy match. She had managed to score the required points to win in the end, but it had been close. Far closer than she would have liked. Turning on her heel, she jogged through the front gate. Her conversation with her sister, though brief, had set her back. She would likely have to jog to get to practice with her father on time. On the bright side, the jog would hopefully warm up her semi-frozen limbs.

  


\-------

  


Kagami grimaced as she rushed into the training facility, dusting the excess chalk from her hands as she went. It was Wednesday, and that meant it was Gymnastics day where her father made her work on her acrobatics and core strength. Normally, it wasn’t something that she minding doing, but she would have preferred to practice her swordsmanship. She would _really_ prefer if her father stopped treating her like some little kid and let her fight with a real sword, instead of the wooden practice swords. She was almost nine years old, after all. She handled a foil just fine, she could handle herself around a Katana. Still, she supposed this was better than running laps in the frigid winter air, to work on endurance and stamina, so she would count her blessings on that front and take the Gymnastic Lesson in stride. Jacket, scarf, and gloves tossed into a damp pile at the side of the room, Kagami stepped into her father’s ‘dojo’.

“You’re late,” her father’s voice immediately cracked through the air like a whip, but she had been expecting it and barely flinched. Lifting her eyes, she opened her mouth to respond but the words shuttered to a halt when she realized her father wasn’t alone. Brown eyes widening, she raked her gaze over the newcomers. One looked to be about her father’s age, his hair longer and less spiky, while the other was a boy who looked to be only a few years older than she was. The man who looked to be around her father’s age had an easy grin on his face and he approached her with arms wide open. Kagami stiffened as she found herself frozen in the strange man’s embrace, eyes flickering questioningly to her father for guidance. Her father rolled his eyes.

“Do not _smother_ the girl, Dante. She doesn’t know who you are,” he scolded. The man hugging her stepped back but didn’t release her completely, keeping her at arm's length as he looked her up and down. The warm grin never left his face. Finally, his gaze met hers and Kagami found that they were the same striking blue as her father’s pale gaze.

“That’s hardly my fault, Vergil. Had you permitted it, I would have been here to meet my niece long ago,” the man, Dante, retorted. Kagami blinked in surprise.

“Niece?” She asked, looking between the man and her father. Now that she was paying attention, the family resemblance was unmistakable. Same pale skin, same white hair and pale blue eyes. She hadn’t even been aware her father had any other family.

“That’s right, _Xiǎo Zhàndòujī_ ,” he said. For the first time since entering the room, Kagami felt her own smile stretch her lips.

“Little fighter?” She asked, grinning up at her Uncle. If possible, his grin only stretched wider as he nodded.

“It seems to fit you well,” he explained.

“I like it,” she said. Behind them, her father cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to him, and the older boy. Her cousin, perhaps?

“Kagami, I wanted to wait to introduce you to the rest of your family until you were ready. I honestly didn’t expect you to be ready quite so soon, but your skills are unparalleled for your age and I thought you might benefit from sparring partners with different fighting styles than mine… particularly a partner closer to your age and size,” her father explained, getting straight down to business.

“Of course, father,” she said, eyes darting between the boy and her Uncle with barely concealed excitement. She had a family. A _real_ family that she could get to know. A family who might actually like her, unlike her adopted siblings is the Tsurugi Clan.

“The man you just met is your Uncle, my twin brother, Dante,” he began, gesturing to the man beside her. “Like me, he is a half Demon.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Uncle,” Kagami said with the barest hint of a smile, before turning to the boy expectantly.

“And this, Kagami, is your half-brother. Nero,” Vergil said, resting a hand on the boy’s shoulder. Kagami froze, eyes widening almost imperceptibly in shock before she quickly hid even that small bit of emotion. The smile fell from Kagami’s lips almost instantly, her face becoming devoid of all emotion. Her father had once told her that a poker face was one of her greatest weapons on the battlefield. This was currently the furthest thing from a battlefield, but it suddenly felt just like one. A brother. Her father had neglected to tell her that she had a _brother_ and she didn’t know what to do with that information. She didn’t exactly have the greatest track record with siblings, after all.

“M-my brother?” She repeated quietly. Seeming oblivious to her inner turmoil, her father gave a short, decisive nod.

“Yes, your older brother. Nero is thirteen at the moment. He is three-quarters Demon,” he explained. Kagami forced her gaze away from her father to look over her brother. He looked bored and sullen like he would rather be anywhere else, and something in her stomach tightened. He was about as enthusiastic about her presence than Jiao, Ruomei, Xiaoli, and Làngzǐ were. Swallowing nervously, she forced a smile onto her face and stepped closer, determined to at least show her brother that _she_ would like them to get along.

“H-hello, brother. Nero, was it? I’m Kagami,” she greeted, sticking a hand out. Nero’s cold gaze shifted to hers, eyes sweeping over her from head to toe before a derisive snort escaped him and he turned away.

“This is the precious prodigy you’ve been going on and on about, father? She doesn’t look like much… and her power level is so low, she can’t be more than a quarter demon,” he sneered, waving one hand dismissively. “She would get killed the moment she was faced with a real demon.”

“Nero!” Dante was the one to speak up, his voice sharp with warning as he stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on the girl’s shaking shoulders. Distantly, she was aware of the two arguing above her, but she could barely register their words. There was a dull ringing in her ears, and a wave of nausea threatened to overwhelm her. His quick assumption of her brought back memories of her adopted siblings. Their sneers and looks of hatred, their whispered barbs. They judged her because she didn’t have the same breeding that they did and now, Nero was doing the same thing. Because she was only a quarter demon, because her father had fallen in love with a human, he was dismissing her. And as much as that hurt Kagami, as much as it made her feel sick to her stomach, it mostly made her feel angry. She was so tired of being overlooked, cast aside, dismissed. Who gave him the right to treat her this way? She didn’t look like much? _He_ didn’t look like much. She could probably beat him. What was it her father had said? That she was a prodigy and possessed an  _unparalleled skill_ for her age?

“Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is?” The words escaped before she could stop them, but once they hung in the now silenced air of the training room, she found she didn’t regret them, not one bit. Lifting her flinty brown eyes, hands tightening into fists, she glared at her half brother defiantly. “If you think I’m weak, that I couldn’t hold my own in a fight, then _prove_ it. Beat me, and I’ll concede defeat and stop training altogether. But if _I_ win, you have to admit your little sister is better than you ever will be,” she challenged.

Nero glared in her general direction, refusing to meet her gaze directly, and his blue eyes narrowed. A derisive scoff escaped him. “I have better things to do than beat up little girls,” he retorted. Kagami opened her mouth to argue but stopped when her father lifted a hand.

“Is that a formal challenge, Kagami?” He asked.

“What’s a formal challenge?” Kagami responded, turning a confused gaze on the man.

“A formal challenge is when one Demon Slayer challenges another to a battle; the rules are always different depending on the circumstances, but a formal challenge cannot be refused, and will only end when one fighter is unable to continue,” Vergil explained, accessing his daughter thoughtfully. She hesitated and his expression softened slightly, his tone taking on a note of gentle warning. “Think carefully about this, Kagihime. Once a formal challenge is issued, it cannot be rescinded. You will have to fight until you are either victorious or until you are incapable of continuing to fight.”

Kagami started at the affectionate nickname, before shifting her gaze once more to her brother. He looked annoyed, glaring at their father accusingly. He still wouldn’t look directly at her, as if she was beneath his notice, and she felt herself bristling once more. But no, if she wanted to win this fight, she needed to be clear-headed. She couldn’t allow petty emotions, no matter how justified, cloud her judgment. Lifting her chin, she gave a sharp nod and returned her gaze to her father’s, determination coursing through her.

“Yes, father. I formally challenge Nero to a duel,” she announced. Her father nodded in acknowledgment.

“Nero, do you accept Kagami’s challenge, or do you concede defeat here and now and admit your sister is the better opponent, as per the challenge rules,” he asked, turning to the boy. Nero growled softly, hands tightening into fists at his sides, and his voice was harsh and angry when he responded.

“I accept the challenge, father,” he said, finally looking at Kagami directly. “It will be my pleasure to teach this child her place.”

  


\-------

  


“A wooden sword? What is this, kindergarten?” Nero looked incredulously at the object being offered to him by his father, but the man remained impassive as he pushed the weapon closer.

“I trained you personally as well, Nero. You know I don’t allow the use of real weapons until age ten,” Vergil responded dryly. “You already have more training than she does; you will not get an unfair advantage over your sister by using your own weapon.”

“This is a joke,” Nero sneered, snatching the toy away from his father and reluctantly taking his place on the mat where Kagami is already awaiting him. Kagami allowed her brown gaze to flick over her opponent, assessing him for any potential weaknesses he might have. Another thing her father had taught of her. Of course, he had taught Nero everything he had taught her thus far, and more given his age, but Nero struck her as the type who only paid attention if the topic interested him. It begged the question, how much had he overlooked and bypassed that she had listened to and committed to memory religiously? She was determined to find out but first, her assessment. Physically speaking, Nero was both taller and heavier than she was. At around four and a half years older than her, that wasn’t surprising.

If she had to guess roughly, she would say he stood at around five foot four and weighed around one hundred and fifteen pounds, most of which is lean, hard-packed muscle and _not_ baby fat. By comparison, Kagami knows she is approximately four foot seven inches and weighs sixty-five pounds. She is tall for her age. She also is decently muscled, given her extracurricular activities, but she still retains some of her baby fat due to her youth. Nero is dressed in a gray shirt and black sweats; nothing to hinder his movement there… and his feet are clad in jogging sneakers, so his footwear won’t pose an issue for him.  His white hair does fall over one eye which might hinder his eyesight, but Kagami chooses not to bank on that. If it were truly an issue, he would have changed the hairstyle.

Her gaze sweeps over him again, rapidly, as he shifts impatiently. Or she thought it was impatience. But no, it’s barely noticeable unless you’re really looking, but Nero is undoubtedly favoring his left ankle. She doesn’t know if it’s an old injury or if he recently sprained it, but she can use that to her advantage. She just has to wait for the proper opening. Bringing her gaze back up to her opponent’s face, she takes a deep breath in and lets it out slowly, clearing her mind of any distraction. She would win this fight, no matter what. She would prove her worth to her brother, to her father, to her uncle… but mostly she would prove her worth to herself. She could beat Nero. For all of his bravado and his confidence, he had weaknesses just like she did. She just had to discover his before he discovered hers.

“Fighters, ready?” Vergil called out from where he and Dante stood on the sidelines.

“Yes, father,” Kagami said, refusing to tear her gaze from her opponent. Nero rolled his eyes dramatically.

“Yeah, sure. Let’s just get this over with,” he snorted.

“The rules are simple. You two will fight until one or both of you are incapacitated. This is _not_ a fight to the death; any attempts to take your opponent’s life is an immediate forfeit. Fight fairly, and fight well. You may begin,” he announced.

The moment the word ‘ _begin_ ’ left Vergil’s mouth, Nero leaped at his sister with sword raised. No doubt he was expecting to catch her off guard, but Kagami had been expecting this tactic. Nero seemed like an emotional sort, quick to act before he paused to think. He expected to win easily with a show of brute strength. Kagami had no intention of giving him that satisfaction. Physically, he might be stronger, but she was much faster. She dropped immediately and rolled left as the wooden sword whistled through the air where her head had been mere seconds before. Bouncing immediately to her feet, she circled her brother. Again, Nero lunged, swinging his sword hard and fast. Again, Kagami dodged effortlessly, always keeping just out of reach of her brother’s sword. Their dance continued this way for several minutes, and every time Kagami evaded his attack, Nero’s anger grew. _This_ was his true weakness, as Kagami had suspected all along. He let his emotions cloud his head during battle where she kept her head clear and level.

“Stop dodging and fight back!” Nero snarled, swinging wildly. Kagami merely sidestepped the blow, deflecting the backswing effortlessly with the side of her practice sword, and arched a brow at him.

“What’s the matter, brother? Does it anger you that ten minutes have passed and you’ve yet to land a _single_ blow?” She asked casually, immediately noticing the spark of anger in his eyes at her words. She tensed and quickly spun out of the way as Nero lunged one more, the butt of her sword’s hilt slamming into his back and causing him to stumble past her before regaining his footing. Her brown eyes were cold and impassive as she glanced over her shoulder at him. Nero spun with a wordless growl and once again their game of cat and mouse began anew.

“Hold still, _Xiǎo Lǎoshǔ_ , so that I might exterminate you,” he snarled, his attacks becoming wilder and more uncoordinated with each dodged blow. “Why do you run? You wanted this fight, so _fight me_!”

“As you wish, _Dà Gēgē_ ,” Kagami said with a shrug. To be honest, she had been about ready to go on the offensive anyway. He was already tiring and slowing down, and the slight limp was becoming more pronounced. She was now guessing it was an old injury that had been recently aggravated.  She had every intention of aggravating it a whole lot more before this match was over. Nero smirked and attacked again, but Kagami didn’t dodge this time. She lifted her own sword and deflected the blow. While her brother was distracted by that, she lifted a foot and brought it down on his ankle with all her might. The snap of bone seemed to reverberate throughout the training room, but it wasn’t nearly as loud or piercing as Nero’s pained scream. Kagami withdrew as he collapsed, sword falling to the mat with a quiet thump as the boy clutched at his ankle. She only felt mildly bad for his pain; he was three-quarters demon, after all. His bone would heal before the night was up.

Lifting her sword, she pressed the tip to her brother’s throat and regarded him impassively. “ _Concede_ , brother. This fight is over,” she commanded. Nero lifted his gaze to glare at her, and she noticed tears of pain pooled in the corners of his eyes. The first inkling of regret stirred in her. Perhaps her methods of winning had been extreme, but she had been trying to prove a point. Nero never should have underestimated her. The boy glared at her for another moment before sighing, the fight leaving him in a rush. Even he couldn’t fight on a broken ankle.

“I concede,” he grumbled. 

 

 

 

**Hey, fellow Miraculeurs! Want to request a personalized story from yours truly? If so, then click[Here](https://discord.gg/t5p3qds) and head on over to my ML Fanfiction Discord. Discord is a free app/website that allows you to talk and instant message, other people. It is easy to use and join, and I keep my Discord Channel 99% Family Friendly, with the exception of one channel for those 18+ Miraculeurs who might want to talk about the smuttier sinful side of the fandom (wink wink). I hope to see you all there and as usual, stay Pawsome and have a Meowvelous Day ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagami makes a friend...
> 
> Also, Jiao is currently the character we all love to hate, and Kagami's adoptive father is actually a likable guy... be honest, how many of you expected me to make her adoptive parents as bad as her siblings?
> 
>  
> 
> Also, this isn't gonna be all posted tonight because I keep adding more to the story and I have to go to bed early tonight. I usually work in the evenings but tomorrow is the one day I work in the morning this week. Also, I lowkey got hit by a car last night and the soreness has hindered my writing a bit. My whole body feels like one giant bruise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, someone pointed out to me that Kagami is actually Japanese and NOT Chinese. So I just want to address that really quickly with a quick disclaimer. While it was NOT my intention to change her Nationality, I also am not going back to change it. Quite personally, I think it is a fairly minor thing that can be overlooked, but that's just me. I am American. I speak English and I can say a few words in Spanish/French/Japanese due to a high school class, research, and from watching anime respectively. I am nowhere near fluent in any of those languages... I can barely speak English properly without stumbling over my words half the time and that's the language I grew up with.
> 
> That being said, I had no idea Tsurugi means 'Sword' in Japanese, or that it was a Japanese word in general. From an American standpoint with little experience around EITHER language/nationality/culture, Japanese and Chinese sounds VERY similar and I realize I say that at the risk of people FROM those Nationalities getting super butthurt, but it's true. Some people can tell the difference, especially if they are from either place, but I can't and while I do apologize for that blunder, in my personal opinion I have already gone above and beyond for this story. I took a prompt and characters I'm not familiar with and created a whole world just to integrate them with the characters I am experienced with writing and personally, I think that's pretty great.
> 
> But my point is, while I didn't mean any offense, I have been working nonstop for almost four days on a story that originally was supposed be a 2000 word one shot and is now at the 16000 mark and still going strong. I wrote nearly a full story in four days (while suffering a really bad cold) and I'm sorry to say, but I will be damned if I go back and change anything in the story after so much of my time and effort has gone into writing this.
> 
> So if you DO take offense to that, there is the metaphorical door. You don't have to read my story; it literally doesn't matter to me, because I have so many OTHER people who are happy to overlook that and continue to gush over my writing. But this is fanfiction. It's not like these are real, living characters so I honestly don't think it should come to that. BUT that's up to you and again, no intention to offend, but that is my stance on the matter and I'm sticking to it. Contrary to popular belief, I don't write for the pleasure of other people reading my writing. I write because it's a coping mechanism for dealing with debilitation anxiety and depression that had nearly cost me my life on numerous occasions. Writing combats that and sharing my writing with you guys is purely an added bonus. I would still write even without a platform to share my work on.
> 
> Anyway, rant over and onto the story;)

“Point, Tsurugi. Tsurugi wins the match,” the announcer’s voice rang out over the com system and Kagami immediately stepped back and lowered her foil. Distantly, she was aware of the audience’s applause and normally that would send a bolt of pride straight to her core, but today she was more focused on the clock mounted upon the wall just above her opponent’s left shoulder. The Fencing Tournament had run late, and she was now over an hour late for practice with her father. She’d be lucky if he didn’t make her run suicides for the next three hours...  _ if _ he had even bothered to wait for her. Reaching up, Kagami removed the bright red fencing helmet and tucked it under one arm as she stepped forward to shake her opponent’s hand. The boy was probably around twelve or thirteen, a few years older than she was. At ten-years-old, Kagami had been bumped up to competing with the older kids due to her advanced skill level. She had a feeling she owed a decent amount of her skill to her father and his training sessions.

“Good match, Kagami,” the boy said with a warm smile. She returned the smile, but it felt stiff and unnatural on her face. She was antsy to get out of there as soon as possible. Unfortunately, fencing was a huge thing in the Tsurugi family, which meant three of her siblings also had matches today. It also meant her adopted parents and grandparents were here to watch the match, so even if she  _ wanted _ to slip away, she couldn’t. She would be grounded for life if she didn’t stay and support her family. Forcing her wandering gaze back to the boy, she forced her smile to widen and take on a more genuine appearance.

“You too, Bolin,” she said kindly, “you almost had me that time.”

Bolin scoffed, eyes crinkling in amusement as he finally released her hand. “Please, Gami. You have everyone here beat, and you know it,” he teased.

This time, her smile truly was genuine as she momentarily forgot her problems and focused on the boy. She had known Bolin most of her life since he lived on the same street as she did and had a sister Kagami’s age. He was from her rival school’s fencing club and was probably the best fencer they had in his age division. “I don’t know about that,” she hedged with an impish grin, “but-”

“Kagami!” Jiao’s sharp voice interrupted whatever she was about to say and she stiffened before turning slowly to find her eldest sister bearing down on them, the youngest Tsurugi child on her hip. Jiao finally reached the pair and glared back and forth between them. “Xiaoli and Roumei are the next two competitors and  _ Bàba _ expects you to sit with us. Come, we can’t keep him waiting,” she snapped stiffly, turning a withering glare on Bolin before spinning away. Bolin flinched under the heavy glare but Kagami barely batted an eye. She was used to it.

“I don’t think your sister likes me,” Bolin whispered once Jiao was out of earshot. Shooting him a look, Kagami giggled and shook her head.

“I don’t think my sister  _ likes _ anyone,” she admitted with a shrug. Bolin grimaced.

“Not even you?” He questioned, earning a rueful grimace from the girl.

“ _ Especially _ not me,” she giggled with a roll of her eyes. “I should go before she comes back. It was nice seeing you, Bolin,” she called, turning to follow after her sister.

“You too, Gami. I hope to see you at the next tournament!” Bolin called after her. Kagami glanced over her shoulder with a grin, though she didn’t dare stop walking.

“You can count on it, Bo!” She returned before turning forward and melting into the crowd.

  
  
  


\-------

  
  
  


“You missed practice yesterday,” was the first thing her father said to her when she entered the training session the next day. She had rushed over as soon as she was free of her adoptive family, but as she had feared, her father had already grown tired of waiting. Twisting her fingers together nervously, Kagami nodded slowly.

“Yes, father,” she said quietly.

“I trust you had a good reason? I haven’t the time to train flakes, Kagami. If you aren’t serious about becoming a slayer, we can end your training right now,” her father said sternly. The girl went rigid, eyes blowing wide in panic.

“No!” She exclaimed before she could stop herself. Her father arched a brow. “I...I mean, no, please. I  _ am _ serious father, and I  _ do _ have a reason for missing practice yesterday,” she said, shifting her feet apprehensively. Vergil regarded her thoughtfully, eyes sweeping over her form and taking in the twisting fingers and shifting feet in the blink of an eye.

“And what might that reason be, Kagami?” He finally faced her fully, face losing some of its severity. He didn’t like making his daughter nervous like this, and it hadn’t been his intention. Perhaps he needed to revisit his lessons on keeping his emotions in check, just as Nero did.

“I… I had… I had a fencing tournament,” she finally admitted, voice low and shy. Now, both of Vergil’s brows shot up in surprise. He hadn’t even known the child was  _ in _ a fencing club, though he should have guessed. He had researched the Tsurugi family extensively before choosing to leave his daughter in their care.

“You never told me you were involved in fencing… did you win?” He asked curiously. Kagami blinked in confusion. She had expected anger, not interest.

“Wh-what?”

“Your match. Did you win?” He clarified. She gave a slow nod. “Which class are you in?”

“Foil… they have me in advanced placement though, so I rarely fight children my own age,” she admitted, a hint of a smile starting to curve her lips at the pleased look in her father’s eyes. He was proud. She loved it when he was proud of her.

“I would have thought Sabre would be more your style… but I can see you with a foil. The weapon suits your fighting style well,” he praised with a nod. A look passed over his face, and suddenly he was regarding her thoughtfully. “You’re in your school’s after-school club, are you not?”

“Yes, father.”

“How do you fit in practice? You typically practice with me for several hours after school each day,” he pointed out. Kagami smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.

“Well, practicing with swords helps quite a bit… but most nights I practice at home after everyone has gone to bed,” she explained.

“Even after our training sessions? Don’t you get tired?” Her father asked, genuine concern creeping into his gaze. Kagami shrugged.

“I guess… but I manage pretty well,” she said. Her father frowned.

“Even the best Demon Slayers need their sleep, Kagi. Tell you what, why don’t we include a bit of fencing practice to the end of each of your training sessions? That way, you can go home and  _ sleep _ from now on,” he suggested with a wry smile. Kagami blinked, surprised and touched at her father’s suggestion. After a moment, she grinned and nodded enthusiastically.

“Deal!”

  
  
  


\-------

  
  
  


Kagami pulled off her red fencing jacket before lifting her gaze to one of the locker rooms many mirrors. The past year has been crazy, there is no doubt about that. Since she started working on her fencing with her father, her skill had improved tenfold. She had beaten her opponents by a landslide today. Even Jiao could hardly find fault in her matches these days. Nero was still… well, Nero, but there was a small part of her that still held out hope of winning her older brother over. Unfortunately, he still hadn’t forgiven her for breaking his ankle the day they met, though she still stands by the fact that he had gotten only what he deserved. At the very least, he had stopped underestimating her and was now becoming more of a challenge to spar against, as he slowly learned her fighting style. She wasn’t complaining, though. The bigger the challenge, the more satisfying the win would be in the end. 

Reaching up, the eleven-year-old fingered a strand of blue-black hair. It was getting long, falling closer to her shoulders than the chin-length bob she typically preferred to keep it at. She would need to get a haircut soon, but for now, she was ready to go home. Hers was the last match of the Tournament today, and she had found herself fighting against another girl, an American transplant named Meghan Greene. Meghan had put up a decent fight, but ultimately posed little challenge against the younger girl. It was kind of disappointing. Fighting against Xiaoli or Roumei would be more entertaining than  _ that _ fight had been. But that hardly mattered anymore. The match was over and could be put behind her. For now, she turned away from the mirror and finished packing up her fencing gear in her duffel bag and slung it over her shoulder, before exiting the locker room. She almost ran directly into Bolin, who was loitering outside the door when she exited.

“Bolin?” She asked in surprise, taking a slight step back before giving him a curious smile. “Hey, what’s up? I didn’t see you compete today,” she said with a warm smile.

“Pulled a muscle goofing off last weekend,” he explained, olive green eyes sparkling with mirth. “I’m out for another two weeks at least; maybe more. Coach wants to evaluate me after the two weeks are up and see how my leg holds,” he explained with an impish grin.

Kagami snorted, a wide grin crossing her own face. “What on earth were you doing?” She asked, crossing her arms and arching a brow. Bolin’s smile only widened, unabashedly.

“Parkour,” he admitted. Kagami hadn’t been expecting that, but somehow she wasn’t entirely surprised.

“What did your parents have to say about that?”

“That I’m an idiot but they’re glad I’m okay,” he said with a shrug. “Oh, and that I’m grounded for a month.”

“If you’re grounded, how are you here?” She laughed. The grin was back, filled with boyish mischief.

“Snuck out. And  _ speaking _ of sneaking out, I wasn’t loitering outside the girl’s locker room for no reason. I  _ did _ come here to ask you a question,” he added, looking endearingly sheepish now.

“Uh-huh,” Kagami found herself teasing. It was surprisingly easy, with Bolin, especially away from the prying eyes of her family. “ _ Sure _ you weren’t just being a peeping tom?”

“Hey! I resent that,” his laughter sounding surprised but his face showing pleasure. She didn’t blame him. She always came off as emotionless and in control, it was nice to let loose for just a second. The rush she got from saying the first words that came to mind was thrilling, addicting, and she wanted to experience more of that feeling. “But no, in all seriousness, Peijing and I are going to the Arcade and wanted to see if you’d like to come?”

Bolin was Peijing’s older brother. The siblings were about three-quarters Chinese and a quarter American. This resulted in them having jet black hair, olive toned skin, and olive green eyes. They almost looked like twins, except like Kagami, Peijing was two years younger than Bolin. Peijing was the closest thing Kagami had ever had to a real friend. Between her somewhat restrictive adoptive family and training in secret with her father, she didn’t have time to make lasting relationships. The only reason she had  _ sort of _ befriended Peijing was that, like Kagami, she was something of a fencing Prodigy and they had often been paired up to practice together, their skills far surpassing the other students on their level. Kagami liked Peijing well enough, though, and she enjoyed talking and laughing so freely with Bolin. Maybe it was the fact that they came from a family that didn’t have ‘perfect’ breeding, but with Bolin, she didn’t feel like she was constantly being judged and she found she  _ wanted _ to go out with him and Peijing, if only for a few hours. Her father had decided to cancel practice on the days she had a match, which left her with the whole evening unexpectedly free, for once.

“I’d have to ask  _ Māmā _ and  _ Bàba _ ,” she said, “but if they’re okay with it, I’d love to go!”

“Great,” Bolin grinned widely and offered her an elbow to hook hers through. “Then let’s go ask them now,  _ Wǒ qīn'ài de _ ,” he said enthusiastically. Kagami paused at the affectionate endearment, but the insistent tug on her arm soon distracted her and eventually, she dismissed it from her mind as a fluke, more focused on how she was going to convince her family to allow her to go out with friends just this once.

  
  
  


\-------

  
  
  


“Kagami, there you are,”  Guiren Tsurugi, head of the Tsurugi household, smiled fondly as his adopted daughter approached. Kagami smiled softly and stepped into his embrace when he held open his arms, immediately finding herself pulled into a powerful hug. While her adoptive siblings weren’t her biggest fans, Kagami did have a fairly good relationship with her adoptive parents. It wasn’t quite the same as now having her real father in her life, but she did care for them deeply and she returned the hug before stepping back, out of the aging Chinese man’s embrace.

“I’m sorry,  _ Bàba _ , I got a bit held up by the locker rooms,” she said, glancing pointedly to where Bolin and Peijing hovered a few steps away. While the rest of the Tsurugi Clan was kind of snobbish when it came to breeding and bloodlines, Guiren Tsurugi couldn’t care less about such matters and he had always liked Bolin and Peijing.

“Your adoring fans come to congratulate you on a match well won, I presume?” The man teased before turning towards her friends with a warm smile. “Peijing, you fought beautifully. It’s a shame that Wang girl beat you. And Bolin, I don’t believe I saw you out there today. Don’t tell me you injured yourself again?”

“Thank you,   _Shūshu_ Guiren. I don’t plan on losing again,” Peijing said with a smile as she and her brother drew closer.

“You know me,  _ Shūshu _ . Always getting into some sort of trouble,” Bolin added with a shameless grin. Kagami hid a smile and turned expectantly to her adoptive father.

“ _ Bàba _ , is it alright if I go to the arcade with Peijing and Bolin? Just for a few hours?” She finally voiced her question. Before her father could answer, another voice interrupted them.]

“ _ Bàba _ , Kagami has chores she has been neglecting as of late. She should be more focused on her duties than running off with her friends,” Jiao said, casting a severe look over the three students. The other Tsurugi children stood nearby, watching with varying degrees of interest.

“I can do them when I get home,” Kagami pleaded, looking imploringly at their father. “ _ Please _ , _ Bàba _ . I never ask for much; I just want to spend one afternoon with my friends,” she pleaded. Jiao scoffed.

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed you disappearing all the time, Kagami. You’ve been shirking your duties for far too long.  _ Bàba _ , you should not indulge her. She obviously needs more structure and discipline in her life. I mean, just look at the company she keeps! You should-” Jiao broke off as the man held up one hand. He cast his eldest daughter a stern look.

“You worry too much of appearances,  _ Wǒ de nǚ'ér. _ Kagami is young; she ought to be out with her friends _ more _ , not less,” he scolded lightly, before turning a gentle smile on his younger daughter. “Go, have fun with your friends,  _ Wǒ hěn zhēnxī _ . Your chores will be there when you get home,” he said warmly.

“Thank you,  _ Bàba _ !” The eleven-year-old grinned widely and threw her arms around her father, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before backing away. “I’ll be back before dark!” She promised, turning with a grin to join her friends. As she followed them away from her family and out of the building the tournament had been held in, it dawned on Kagami that for the first time in her entire life, she truly meant it when she called them her friends. She had  _ friends _ ; real friends… and she found she quite liked that fact.

  
  
  


\-------

  
  
  


“Aha! Take that, Zombie scum,” Bolin’s excited exclamation drew a laugh from Kagami and she shook her head in exasperation, even as she kept her eyes and the plastic gun in her hands trained firmly on the screen before her. They had already been at the arcade for several hours and Kagami could honestly say that she was having a lot of fun. Now that she thought about it, she didn’t think she had ever played a single video game before. Her life had been completely centered around this secret double life she led as a Demon Slayer in training, and it meant that she had missed out on quite a lot that has to do with her childhood. Before today, that hadn’t bothered her, not in the least. Kagami had long ago come to terms with the fact that she wasn’t normal and that she would never lead a normal life. Before today, she hadn’t needed or wanted close friends because she had seen them as an unnecessary distraction. Now, she realized how wrong she had been. Sure, friends were a distraction, but they were a  _ welcome _ distraction. Sometimes, she realized, you just needed to relax and unwind, whether that meant reading a good book, listing to meditation music, or killing animated zombies with red and blue plastic guns.

“How are you so good at this, Gami?” Bolin asked, side-eying her as she took out five more zombies in rapid succession, effectively clearing the room before reloading. She allowed her gaze to stray towards his screen and frowned.

“You’re about to get eaten,” she warned. Bolin whipped back around to his screen, cursing violently as he tried to take down the horde that had sprung up, but it was too late and he was quickly overwhelmed. The words ‘Game Over’ flashed across the screen in bloody red letters and the boy groaned exaggeratedly and allowed his head to thump against the console. Kagami turned her attention back to her own screen, killing several more zombies without batting an eye. After a few moments, Bolin got over his defeat and he and Peijing, who had grown tired of the racing game she had been playing, crowded around to watch her kick zombie butt. Bolin let out a low, appreciative whistle as she took a particularly difficult trick shot.

“Seriously,  _ how _ are you this good? You said you’d never played a video game before,” the boy protested with a shake of his head. The girl in question shrugged, but her golden brown eyes never once wavered from the screen as she responded.

“The game is incredibly rudimentary. All that’s required is focus, a bit of strategizing, and some basic hand-eye coordination,” she explained. “It’s really not that difficult.”

“Kagami, that’s amazing,” Peijing enthused, green eyes shining with admiration as the words ‘Winner’ and ‘New High Score’ flashed across the screen moments later. Holstering the gun back in its place, she turned to face her new friends. They were incredibly easy to impress.

“It’s really not. A real gun is much more difficult to handle,” she said, waving one hand dismissively. It took her a moment to realize the siblings had fallen silent and were staring at her slack-jawed.

“You’ve touched a real gun before?” Peijing breathed.

“You’ve  _ used _ a real gun before?” Bolin added. Kagami frowned, looking before the two in confusion.

“Well, sure… haven’t you?” She asked. Judging by their shocked and awed faces, she guessed that wasn’t a normal thing and quickly backtracked. “I-I mean… it’s not a huge deal! A family friend has one and he… he taught me how to shoot one day, but it's a secret and you can’t tell  _ anybody _ , especially not my family!” 

The two shared a look before grinning. “I’m impressed, I didn’t think you knew how to lose your cool, Gami,” Peijing teased.

“Yeah, it’s nice to hear that even the great Kagami Tsurugi gets nervous enough to babble sometimes,” Bolin added teasingly. Perhaps noticing she was still nervous, his smile became softer. “Don’t worry, we’re your friends. Your secret is safe with us.

  
  
  


\-------

  
  
  


“Kagami. How was your match?” Vergil asked the moment she rushed into the training room the next afternoon, still hopping around on one foot as she pulled one of her sneakers on, after changing rapidly out of her school uniform. The shoe finally slipping fully onto her foot, she dropped the appendage back to the ground and lifted her gaze to meet her fathers, all while pulling a few clips from her pocket to pin her hair out of her face. She still hadn’t had a chance to get her hair cut, although it was on her list of things to do. She had always viewed long hair as something of a nuisance.

“I won,” she said, beaming proudly. “By a landslide. Between using part of our training sessions for Fencing and the extra time to sleep that affords me, I’ve improved tenfold since the last tournament. Even Jiao didn’t have anything bad to say… at least not about my fencing,” she added excitedly. Finished pinning her hair back, she began working on some basic stretches to warm up her muscles.

“Jiao is the eldest of the Tsurugi children, is she not?” Vergil asked, leaning against the wall and watching his daughter closely. She grimaced but nodded. “You do not get along with her?” He deduced.

“Jiao… she doesn’t like me. None of my siblings do, except maybe LiMing, and she’s only five,” Kagami explained after a brief pause. Finishing her stretching, she pushed herself to her feet and met his gaze. “But that doesn’t matter. I don’t require the approval of my siblings.”

“Does it not bother you?” Her father asked, seeming unusually interested in her life beyond the training room for once. Looking up, the child looked at her father inquisitively.

“Does what bother me, father?”

“Does it bother you that your siblings do not like you?” He clarified, shrugging off the wall and moving closer to offer her a hand. Grasping his hand in hers, Kagami pulled herself up from the floor and tilted her head as she considered his words. Did the way Jiao and the others treated her really bother her? There was a time when Kagami would have said yes but now, she wasn’t so sure. She had grown so much and ad ceased relying on the approval of her siblings long ago.

“I mean I guess it sort of does, but I try not to dwell on the negative,” she said after a moment, taking her time in giving her answer. “There’s no point crying over spilled milk. Isn’t that what you always say, father?”

Vergil regarded her, face giving nothing of his thoughts or feelings on the subject away, and finally, he gave a short nod. “I do say that. Come, I want to continue working on your swordsmanship today. I know you are still growing accustomed to using the Katana, as opposed to the practice swords,” he said, turning away and heading across the room towards the room where the weapons were stored. Shaking off her confusion over her father’s odd and sudden interest in her life, Kagami hurried after him.

  
  
  


\-------

  
  
  


Kagami adjusted her grip on the edge of the roof, her specially made easy-grip gloves clinging easily to the surface, and pulled herself up. Rising, she dusted herself off and faced her Uncle and Brother. It was a Saturday night and well past the eleven-year-old’s curfew, but she was really banking on the fact that her family never bothered to check in on her once they confirmed she was back in the house before eight pm. It was now eleven pm, the full moon high in the sky, and her breath puffed out in front of her from the icy air. Her father was on a mission in the Underworld, tracking some Demon who was supposedly kidnapping human women, which meant Uncle Dante had taken over for the week. Kagami wasn’t about to complain, however. Her Uncle always came up with new, unique ways to train both the mind and body, making it a nice change from constantly being in the training room, working on technique and posture and all that boring stuff.

“Why did you make me scale a building?” She asked, crossing the flat, rough cement surface of the small warehouse. They were well away from the main city, warehouses of various shapes and sizes stretching as far as the naked eye could see. Dante beckoned her closer to the edge of the room where he was standing with a bored looking Nero.

“Today, I am going to teach you the art of Parkour,  _ Xiǎo zhàndòujī _ ,” Dante announced with a grin. Kagami couldn’t help the excited grin that crossed her face.

“Really? Cool,” she breathed, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet. “Where do we start? I want to know  _ everything _ ,” she added enthusiastically. Nero rolled his eyes and cast her a look of annoyance.

“Can’t you at least try to act your age. Parkour isn’t  _ that _ exciting. It’s a couple of silly trick jumps and acrobats, hardly more strenuous than gymnastics,” he scoffed, seeming oblivious to the withering glance their Uncle sent the boy.

“ _ Actually _ there is a lot more to Parkour than your brother is letting on. In fact, I seem to recall him falling off several buildings his first night out,” Dante said with a smirk. Nero scowled at him, looking affronted, while Kagami giggled in amusement at the mental image that brought about. “We’ll start with the basics and work from there. I’m going to have Nero demonstrate a basic land and roll. This is the most basic move in Parkour, but it’s also one of the most important.”

“Why is it the most important move?” Kagami asked, fascinated.

“A proper land and roll can mean the difference between landing and tearing your ACL, or landing and being able to immediately start moving again. If you can’t learn to land properly from leaps and jumps, you’ll only end up hurting yourself,” he explained.

“That makes sense,” Kagami mused. Dante grinned.

“Good, because you’re about to jump from one building to the next and it’s easier to do if you understand the basic fundamentals of the moves you’re expected to pull off,” he said. Despite minor apprehension about the fact that she was about to learn how to jump from one building to the next while they were several stories up, Kagami nodded in agreement. She just had to look at this as a normal challenge, and she never backed down from a challenge.

“Okay, I’m ready,” she announced after taking a steadying breath. Dante nodded, getting back down to business.

“Good, then let us begin.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> Wǒ qīn'ài de - My dear  
> Shūshu - Uncle  
> Wǒ de nǚ'ér - My Daughter  
> Wǒ hěn zhēnxī - My Cherished
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Comment and drop a Kudo if you enjoy;)

**Author's Note:**

> Translations;  
> Kagihime - 'Kagi', an affectionate nickname for Kagami, 'hime' the Japanese word for Princess. So he is basically calling her 'Princess Kagi'
> 
> Bàba - Papa
> 
> Xiǎo Zhàndòujī - Little Fighter
> 
> Xiǎo Lǎoshǔ - Little Mouse
> 
> Dà Gēgē - Big Brother


End file.
